Doors fitted to emergency exits commonly have a push pad or panic bar fitted on the inside of the door. The push pad or panic bar provides one-push access to the outside and is especially useful for fast, unhindered access to the outside in an emergency. Similar to panic bars are touch bars. Panic bars generally require a downward rotational push to operate and retract one or more bolts of the door. The bar may extend across the full width of the door. A push pad has a similar action but, instead of comprising a bar, has a pad for operation which is usually located at the opening side of the door. Touch bars differ from panic bars in that to operate the direction of action is horizontally towards the door.
Push pads, panic bars and touch bars can operate on single or multi point bolting systems to secure the door. An example of a multi-point bolting system is found in GB 2289084 which describes a latching locking mechanism. The bolting system comprises three bolts respectively operating in up, down and sideways directions. The system is arranged to prevent an external force on the end of one of the bolts pushing the bolt to move it to the retracted position. This is achieved by a latch arrangement in the bolting system to hold the bolts in an engaged or thrown position. An operating member such as a push pad, panic bar or touch bar, is provided to release the latch and retract the bolts. The bolts are operated by racks provided on the bolts and rotating gears arranged to transfer motion between the bolts. To retract the bolts from the inside side of the door an operating member is actuated to turn a first, latch gear wheel to a first position to move the latch. In this position continued turning of the operating member turns a second gear wheel which acts on the bolts to retract them.
The latching bolting mechanism of GB 2289084 in combination with, for example a push pad provides one-push access to the outside of a building form the inside which is particularly advantageous in an emergency. It is often also desirable to be able to enter the building through the same door from the outside. An operating member, which in this case could be a handle, could also be provided on the outside of the door. To provide locked access from the outside, GB 2289084 also describes a lock mechanism which acts directly on one of the bolts so as to provide security. The lock mechanism is provided to limit access from the outside to the inside, and is released when operated with a matching key. Modifications to the bolt are required such that the bolts can continue to be released from the inside even when the lock mechanism acts on the bolt.
The arrangement of GB 2289084 is particularly suited to multi-point bolting systems. It is desirable to provide a locking system which can be used for single bolt systems.
It is also desirable to provide a bolting system that can be inverted for use on left-hand and right-hand opening doors while being able to select the direction of operation of the operating member. It is desirable to provide this reversibility with minimum disassembly.
It is further desirable to provide a greater range of access functionality in combination with the emergency egress.